Indian fans would have gleefully exchanged the outcome of the Jaipur T20I with their side’s defeat against New Zealand in Dubai last month. Alas, the laws of cricket do not accommodate such luxuries.
Even with some fringe players, India maintained its dominance in bilateral competitions and took a lead in the three-T20I series. India’s expectation would be no less than the clean sweep they achieved in 2019/20 (5-0, too) on New Zealand soil.
Despite India’s dominant show in Jaipur, they had their share of hiccups. The seemingly smooth chase encountered unexpected hurdles towards the end before (not for the first time) an Indian wicketkeeper finished it off in style.
Rishabh Pant strikes at 146 in T20s, but the number falls to 123 in T20Is. His unbeaten run-a-ball 17 saw India home, but his strike rate was also a reason for their rising anxieties at the end.
Since the team management has expressed the need for workload management, Pant may be rested as he has featured across formats throughout the year. Ishan Kishan may replace him.
Talking of Indian wicketkeepers, the arena now shifts to M.S. Dhoni’s hometown, Ranchi. The venue has hosted two T20Is, and India has won both.
T20Is in Ranchi
- India beat Sri Lanka by 69 runs | February 2016
- India beat Australia by 9 wickets | October 2017
With a year to go for the next T20 World Cup, the only dilemma for the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid think-tank will be to test all the players in the squad or look to seal the series.
India’s likely XI
Rohit Sharma (c), K.L. Rahul, Rishabh Pant/Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Axar Patel/Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Mohammad Siraj/Avesh Khan
ICC T20I Rankings: 2
New Zealand were happy trying out the fringe in the first match. With the series on the line and no Kane Williamson in sight, they may get Jimmy Neesham and Ish Sodhi back in the line-up.
New Zealand’s likely XI
Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert (wk), Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee (c), Trent Boult/Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi
ICC T20I Rankings: 4
Conditions here are expected to be batting-friendly. With dew likely, the mantra is likely to be to win the toss and field. However, teams may not mind reversing the trend to be better prepared for bigger tournaments, where the toss has often been seen as the deciding factor.
Key match-ups
- Guptill vs Bhuvneshwar: Another 11 runs, and Guptill will surpass Virat Kohli’s tally of 3,227 runs to become the leading T20I run-getter. However, Bhuvneshwar is a thorn in his track. Guptill averages 8.66 against him, striking under 93 and has been dismissed thrice. The numbers further dwindle in the Powerplay as the average falls to 6 and the strike rate to 72.
- Rohit vs Boult: In the Powerplay overs in Jaipur, Rohit struck Boult for back-to-back fours before launching a six, plundering 21 off his Mumbai Indians teammate. Boult got Rohit later in the match. Rohit strikes at 136 against Boult, but the latter has got him out four times in T20s at an average of 11.2.
- Rahul vs Sodhi: With 19 wickets against India under an average of 18 and an economy rate of 7.2, Sodhi is a genuine threat. Rahul may be in imperious form, but against Sodhi, he averages 27.5 at a strike rate under 92.
Prediction:
India start favourites; however, it’s the toss, which will alter the balance of the match.
Fantasy tips:
- Considering his all-round abilities and the fact that he will open, Mitchell is a must pick.
- Always safe to bank on the form of Rohit, Rahul and Guptill
Fantasy XI
K.L. Rahul (c), Daryl Mitchell (vc), Martin Guptill, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant/Ishan Kishan (wk), Mark Chapman, Trent Boult, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Lockie Ferguson, R Ashwin